Oh, the ever-present question of what to eat for lunch when you’re at uni during the day. When you don’t have enough time to go home and literally cannot stomach your third meal deal of the week. Everywhere around seems too expensive, far away or just too much hassle and sometimes, you just want some good food! I give you: Koyama. Wedged inconspicuously between a convenience store and Ballie Ballerson on Forest Road, this sweet little sushi and ramen restaurant is the answer to all your prayers.
For some reason, not a very well-known place for Edinburgh students, I came across it the first time a few weeks ago and have not been able to stay away since. Every time I’ve been in, it’s only at maximum 50% capacity so it really does seem like a forgotten haven. The staff are super lovely and attentive, and the vibe is casual and calming, but that’s not even the best part…
They have a lunch menu between 12pm&3pm including reduced prices on ramen, curries and sushi and (get this!) a 20% student discount. This means that the huge bowl of chicken Karaage ramen I got the other day came out to a grand total of £7.92. Now, if you’re familiar with Edinburgh prices as I am, I’m sure you’ll agree that this is pretty unheard of.
Their menu is fairly well-priced in general, with a good range of meat and veggie options, sushi, tempura and rice plates. I think the restaurant would also be a cute place for a semi-casual date night where you can still avail of the handy student discount! The quality of the food is really great too, and the rich warming broth of the ramen was exactly what I needed during the cold winters day on which I last went.
As I truly feel that this is a great restaurant, I feel an obligation to write this review, but I must admit that I also secretly want it to stay as my little hidden gem. So, reader, use this special information wisely – with great sushi comes great responsibility.
Photo by Derek Duran on Unsplash